Spelinspektionen undergoes evaluation for regulatory competence
The Swedish National Audit Office will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of the Spelinspektionen, the national gambling regulator of Sweden. This review comes as new legislative changes are being implemented in the country on July 1st, 2023. These changes introduce supplier licenses and empower the Spelinspektionen with enhanced enforcement capabilities. Additionally, gambling operators are now explicitly required to cooperate with police investigations related to gambling activities. Our aim is to ensure a robust and efficient supervision of the gaming market in Sweden.
We are conducting a review to evaluate the regulatory body’s effectiveness in achieving its primary goal – to promote a safe gambling market and prevent consumer harm and criminal activity.
To ensure thorough and accurate assessment, the audit office will implement international auditing standards. This will involve conducting interviews and studying relevant documents using qualitative methods.
The subject will be explored using both qualitative and quantitative techniques, such as data analysis and statistics, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the results.
While more information is forthcoming, the audit office has confirmed that further clarification, including the timing of the report, will be provided.
The office has also emphasized that the review will ensure the state receives fair compensation for its efforts.
This audit has been authorized relatively quickly, as it was not mentioned in the audit office’s annual plan released in October 2022.
One potential benefit of this audit is addressing the low channelization rate in Sweden’s gambling sector.
A report from Sweden’s Online Gaming Industry Association (BOS) revealed that only 77 percent of consumers in the country are directed to fully regulated compliant products and operators, which is considered critically low.
The Swedish government aims to eliminate the grey market and achieve a channelization rate of 90 percent, which is the official goal.